User blog:TheJollyScot/Endless Ocean Map ideas 3.
Welcome to Endless Ocean maps part 3. This will be focusing mainly on a map based on waters around the Japanese islands, specifically the tropical Ryukyu islands for coral reefs and like the Australian map before, some colder water species. There will be a lot of other creatures here already in the game, such as the Yatabei Blenny and Yellow Goosefish. Also at the end will be some suggested additions for the Cortica River map as well some odds and ends. For the Japanese map I have also decided to make another area inside a cave, sort of like the Mermaid’s Grotto in the first Endless Ocean game. This will be home mainly to a bewildering array of Cardinalfish and other cave dwelling animals. So with that in mind let’s jump in. 1. Starting off we have a fish that will be recognisable to anyone who has played Animal Crossing. The Barred Knifejaw (Oplegnathus fasciatus) is mainly found around Japan, but can also be found in Chile and Hawaii. A medium sized fish over a meter long, it is very powerful for its size, hence the difficulty of catching it in Animal Crossing. Aside from this it is a lovely monochrome fish with black and white stripes. A very striking start to this diverse map. 2. I’m surprised I haven’t suggested any more clownfish. But to be fair the game’s current roster already has most variants well covered, aside from the aggressive Maroon Clownfish, but honestly I am not really keen on that fish. It has its fans but its just too mean and unpleasant for me. So for this entry I’ll suggest the Pink Clownfish (Amphiprion perideraion). One of the shiest and most gentle clownfish, the Pink Clown is a beautiful peach tinted orange with a single white stripe running down its back and another pair behind its eyes. These are delightful little fish which can always brighten up any peaceful community. 3. A few possible Chromis species include the bright Yellow Chromis (Chromis analis), the golden Japanese Chromis (Chromis mirationis) and the tiny yet vibrant Midget Chromis (Chromis acares). I’ve went for more obscure choices away from the usual Green ones to make the map more unique. Some other Chromis will show up in the loose ends list later on. 4. Time for one of the most underrated fish in my opinion, the King Damselfish (Chrysiptera rex). How on earth this fish isn’t more popular I will never understand. The King Damsel is a brilliant yellow with a purple face and is a dainty, shy gentle fish. It works well with other peaceful fish, including placid damsels if there is enough room and shelter. This is a criminally overlooked damsel which really needs more love. Another damselfish that could also do with more love is the Blueline Damsel (Chrysiptera caeruleolineata). An equally beguiling fish with a blue front half and yellow rear, it is also very calm and peaceful. 5. Two more damselfish which are popular yet can be problematic. The Humbug Damselfish (Dascyllus aruanus) and the Four Stripe Damselfish (Dascyllus melanurus). Both of these fish are beautiful small black and white fish, but can be extremely aggressive in aquariums. However I have seen them behave extremely well in massive tanks so it probably depends on size and hiding places. Both can make wonderful additions to zoom in points and can be housed in the game’s aquarium without the troubles they usually cause in smaller tanks. Another alternative is the black and white Tuxedo Damselfish (Chrysiptera tricincta) which lacks the usual zing of the Dascyllus damsels, however the Tuxedo lives around Fiji and isn’t found in Japan. 6. A great treat here, the Japanese Angelfish (Centropyge interruptus) has an almost legendary status among aquarists and is usually very rare and expensive. Yet despite this it is also considered one of the most durable and adaptable of all angelfish. A beautiful fish with a bright orange with purple and blue spots and a bright yellow tail, it is a wonderful sight. Being one of the larger dwarf angels, it is best as a free swimming fish. 7. Three other possible dwarf angelfish that could be placed here or in another tropical map include the Rusty Angelfish (Centropyge ferrugata), the Pearlscale Angelfish (Centropyge vroliki) and the Midnight Angelfish (Centropyge nox). All three angelfish are calm and generally peaceful fish in aquariums and are quite underrated. The Rusty Angelfish is probably the most popular of the three. It is a lovely orange fish with a blue tail and is quite similar to the Coral Beauty in size and shape. The Pearlscale Angelfish has been referenced often in books and online, but is rarely given much love. While not as brightly coloured, it has a lovely glittering body, orange eyes and black tail with blue edging. Interestingly, the Pearlscale angel sometimes produces interestingly coloured hybrids with the Lemonpeel and Eibl’s Angelfish. The Midnight Angelfish is starkly different to most other angelfish, being solid black or very dark blue, which makes it stand out immediately. It proves that black can be a beautiful colour. Any or all three could make great additions. 8. On the larger scale for angelfish, the Bluelined Angelifsh (Chaetodontoplus septentrionalis) is a beautiful fish and can feature as both adults and juveniles. When young, these angelfish are black with yellow bands across its snout, behind the eyes and on the tail fins. As an adult, the fish retains the yellow tail, but its body is a pale yellowish shade of green covered in brilliant blue lines. 9. For the Genicanthus, we have a few options. There’s Watanabei Angelfish (Genicanthus watanabei) and the Japanese Swallowtail Angelfish (Genicanthus semifasciatus). Both genders of Watanabei’s Angelfish are mainly a brilliant blue with black markings on their fins and tails, but the males has golden speckles near its tails and a striped underside. The male and female Japanese Swallowtails are much more different. The male is mostly grey with darker stripes across its body, greenish fins and a gold coloured ‘mask’ across its eyes and abdomen. The female is mostly greenish yellow, with black markings on its tail and a single black and white sash across its gills. Both species are rare in aquariums and would be wonderful shoaling fish for the reefs. 10. Next up we have a pretty iconic butterflyfish, the Saddle Butterflyfish (Chaetodon ephippium) Not only is it one of the largest butterflyfish, but it also has the most unique colour scheme of the entire group. Its body is mainly a pale blue with a large black and white spot at its adipose fin, the so called ‘saddle’ in its name. As well as this, it has orange and green markings around its tail, fins and mouth. Juveniles are mostly white with orange markings and the saddle present and as they mature, they grow a short pennant fin filament, similar to a Moorish Idol’s. Both juveniles and adults can feature in this map. 11. A more obscure butterflyfish, the Japanese Butterflyfish (Chaetodon nippon) is sadly rarely seen in aquariums, even in Japan. This is extremely odd to me because its a very pretty fish and adapts extremely well to captivity. The fish has a more subtle beauty than the Saddle Butterfly. It has a mostly creamy yellow body, dark grey band across its back, a yellow tail and a steely blue face. The younger fish have an eyespot which fades later in life. 12. Another obscure native butterflyfish, the Wrought Iron Butterflyfish (Chaetodon daedalma) lives in cooler waters. This fish is startling like Midnight Angelfish for being mostly black. It also has a white speckled lattice pattern across its body and yellow edged fins, giving it a metallic appearance. This fish has not received much attention, as it needs specialised coldwater tanks to thrive and is only found currently around Japan. Another similar butterflyfish is the Black Asian Butterflyfish (Chaetodon argentatus) which also has a similar lattice pattern, lives in cooler waters and is just as obscure. However it is also found in shallower, warmer waters around the Philippines so may be more adaptable than the Wrought Iron. 13. Its time for the two impossible butterflyfish which I mentioned before in Oceania. Two obligate coral eaters which can never be kept in captivity, but for fantasy we can put them into Endless Ocean. The two butterflyfish are the Eastern Triangle Butterflyfish (Chaetodon baronessa) and the Scrawled or Meyer’s Butterflyfish (Chaetodon meyeri). The Eastern Triangle Butterfly is similar to two other butterflies found in the Indian Ocean and Red Sea, one of whom, the Hooded Butterflyfish, will appear later on. This lovely fish has a purple triangular shaped body covered in thin pale yellow stripes and has a yellow face with three brown bands. The Scrawled Butterflyfish is an equally lovely fish and relative of the Ornate butterflyfish. It has a blueish white body edged with yellow and covered with oblique black bands, giving it a maze like look. Both are gentle grazing fish which tragically cannot adapt to artificial aquarium diets. Another impossible to keep butterflyfish is the Eightbanded Butterflyfish (Chaetodon octofasciatus), a pale yellow fish with eight pairs of black bands across its body. 14. For a new tang, the Powder Brown Tang (Acanthurus japonicus) has a lot to offer. This wonderful fish is mainly, as the name suggests, a rich brown colour with a white marking on its face and magnificent pale blue, gold and orange. As well as being richly coloured, the Powder Brown is one of the gentlest tangs, and will often be bullied by more belligerent tangs in aquariums. However it will work really well with other peaceful fish. The Powder Brown is closely related to the Powder Blue tang of the Indian Ocean as well as the Goldrimmed Tang (Acanthurus nigricans) which can also be found in Japan. All three fish are rather delicate in home aquariums and only suitable for professionals. 15. A third tang for this map, the impressive Eyestriped Tang (Acanthurus dussumieri) is a big and active fish. It has an almost elite status in aquariums but usually is unsuitable for most home tanks. The colours of this fish vary greatly between individuals, but most fish have a body covered in blue lines and an orange band covering the eyes. 16. Alternatively, the smaller and more familiar Orangeshoulder Tang (Acanthurus olivaceus) could be included instead. Once regarded as a bright fish that turns ugly, the Orangeshoulder has since grown in popularity and status. As a juvenile it is yellow all over, but changes into a two tone green or grey fish with an orange and blue spot above its pelvic fins, hence the name of Orange shoulder, with an orange stripe down its back and blue and gold patterns on its tail and fins. It is also notable for being a very docile tang, getting along with non related fish in aquariums and non aggressive tangs such as the Powder Brown. 17. Two possible rabbitfish are the Two Barred Rabbitfish (Siganus virgatus) and the Orange Spotted Rabbitfish (Siganus guttatus). There Two Barred Rabbitfish has a mostly pale body with yellow running down its back and tail, a pair of brown bars on its body and a brownish head covered in blue lines. The Orange Spotted Rabbitfish has a pale blue body covered in large orange spots and possesses two large yellow eye spots near its tail. The Gold Spotted Rabbitfish (Siganus punctatus) is similar to the Orange Spotted Rabbitfish, except it has smaller gold spots and no eye spot. Both species are pretty interchangeable in my opinion. 18. I’m actually now starting to regret my promise of putting more dottybacks into the game. Most are found in the Indian Ocean and are relatively rare in the Pacific. But lucky I have found two which could feature in this Japanese map, one is pretty well known and the other not so much. The first is the Magenta Dottyback (Pictichromis porphyreus) and as the name suggests, this fish is bright purple all over. It resembles the Red Sea’s Orchid Dottyback, but lacks the black markings of that species. The second species is the Dusky Dottyback (Pseudochromis fuscus), is the largest Dottyback and has several colour forms; grey, brown and bright yellow. Both of these dottybacks are pretty aggressive fish, a far cry from the more calm Orchid Dottyback. While troublesome in real life aquariums, the game will offer us a way of looking at these little fish without any of the woes. 19. Time to roll out some big guns, a pair of large snappers. The Threadfin Snapper (Symphorichthys spilurus) is a magnificent fish with long flowing dorsal and anal fins. Coupled with neon blue lines on a gilded body, bright yellow fins and orange markings, the adult is always a glorious sight. The juveniles are also interesting, with a yellow body with a large black line running horizontally across its body. Another fascinating snapper is the Emperor Snapper (Lutjanus sebae). As an adult it looks similar to the Red Sea Bream, being a large pinkish red fish with faint stripes. When young, these fish instantly catch the eye with their bold reddish brown bands across its white body. These fish are often bought small by people unaware of just how big they will get, much to their surprise and horror. However with the right planning and a big enough tank they can be rewarding fish to have, especially in public aquariums. The Emperor Snapper especially is an intelligent fish which will recognise its feeders and regular vistors. 20. For another sweetlips to accompany the Harlequin Sweetlips, I’d recommend either the Lined Sweetlips (Plectorhinchus lineatus) or the Oriental Sweetlips (Plectorhinchus vittatus0). Both fish as adults are fairly similar; white bodies with black bands and bright yellow lips, fins and tails with black spots. As juveniles they are also similar. The young Lined Sweetlips has black and white horizontal stripes and yellow mouths, while the young Oriental Sweetlips has brown maze like patterns across a white body and lashings of yellow on the face and fins. These fish are usually passed over as adults, most likely due to their massive size. But they are still attractive and interesting fish. Another sweetlips possibility, but purely as a juvenile, is the Painted Sweetlips (Plectorhinchus picus), another monochrome fish, being black all over with several oddly shaped white spots. 21. Time for a beloved trunkfish, which are relatives of boxfish. The Longhorn Cowfish (Lactoria cornuta) is a popular aquarium fish for those who want a more personal pet. The Longhorn Cowfish, like the Emperor Snapper, will grow to recognise its owner and will even squirt jets of water to get attention. It is a square shaped fish just like other box and trunkfish and is famous for its two horns jutting out in front of its eyes, hence the name Cowfish and mainly tan yellow with white or blue spots. This slow moving fish lives close to the sea bed, where it feeds on shellfish, worms and molluscs which it unearths by blowing jets of water into the sand. A cute fish overall and bursting with personality. 22. Moving onto the wrasses. Last list we mentioned the fairy wrasse, now we come to a similar family, the flasher wrasse. These wrasse are so called because the brilliantly coloured and ornately finned males ‘flash’ their fins when idle to attract mates. There are many flasher wrasse species, but for this list I’ve picked Carpenter’s Flasher Wrasse (Paracheilinus carpenteri) which was first found and named in Japan’s southern islands. The females and juveniles are orange with red lines, while the males have extravagant fins and their orange bodies are covered in purple lines, with blue, black, pink and olive green on the fins. These fish shoal in groups of one male and several females, similar to the Sea Goldies in the games. Other flasher wrasse which could feature include the Filament Flasher Wrasse (Paracheilinus filamentosus) and the Striated Wrasse (Pseudocheilinus evanidus). 23. Next up, the Six Lined Wrasse (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia). This common aquarium fish is very beautiful, yet can act aggressively when underfed or when its habitat lacks sufficient hiding places. It has a purplish blue body covered in six golden bands. There are some colour variations, such as a pale blue variant with red bands, however all six lined wrasse have red eyes with four white lines, an eyespot at the base of the tail and a pointed snout designed for hunting small invertebrates. They are fast moving, active fish with playful personalities. 24. For more fairy wrasse, we have the Blueheaded Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura), so named due to the males possessing a blue frontal half, while the aft body is mainly red. The females are red overall. Another candidate is Katherine’s Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus katherinae), with both males and females of this species being a neon red with white underbellies and fins. A third fairy wrasse is the relatively newly discovered and mysterious Kato (Cirrhilabrus katoi), who’s males sport a magnificent dark blue sail covered in green and blue neon speckles, as well as a pink and white body. 25. For another fang blenny, we have the rare Kamohara Blenny (Meiacanthus kamoharai), which has only found around Japan. With a black body and covered in blue or white speckles and lines, its a very attractive fish. It is growing in popularity in aquariums due to captive breeding, making it far more accessible. Like the other fanged blenny from the previous list, this fish has a mildly venomous bite. 26. An often overlooked goby, the Court Jester Goby (Koumansetta rainfordi), like the previously mentioned Hector’s Goby, is a delightful circus of colours. Its mainly greenish grey, with red lines across its body, a yellow mouth and two eye spots. These shy gobies are often bullied by aggressive fish in aquariums and best housed in tanks full of live rock for grazing and hiding places. 27. A pair of unusual shrimp gobies is next. The Spinecheek Goby (Oplopomus oplopomus) is a stunning small fish, with a pearly body covered in blue spots and a yellow line on its tail. Another is an even smaller fish, the Whitecap Shrimp Goby (Lotilia graciliosa) is a black fish with a pale yellow line across its top, several yellow speckles across its body and an eyespot on its dorsal fin. It lives in burrows with the red spotted pistol shrimp (Alpheus rubromaculatus). 28. Another lovely coral goby for the game’s roster is the Panda Goby (Paragobiodon lacunicolus). This goby has an orange head, pale yellow body and black fins. Like other coral gobies they live in colonies among Acropa corals. 29. Another filefish comes up, this one more well known and often kept in aquariums. The Tassled Filefish (Chaetodermis penicilligerus) is a highly camouflaged fish to blend in with seaweed and kelp. It has a trapezoid shape and is mottled grey in colour with striping and numerous tassles extending from its body. This fish could make for a welcome surprise in beds of kelp. 30. To add to the already diverse anthias in game, we can add the Mirror Anthias (Pseudanthias pleurotaenia), the Longfin Anthias (Pseudanthias ventralis), the Sunburst Anthias (Serranocirrhitus latus) and the Silverstreak Anthias (Pseudanthias cooperi). The Mirror or Squareshoulder Anthias is a pretty familiar species in aquariums, being adaptable to captivity, though in tanks with dim lighting. The females are mainly yellow with a pair of blue lines running from the eye to the tail, while the male is mainly a deep pink with a lighter rectangular shape on either side of its body. The Longfin Anthias is rarer in aquariums, but is just as beautiful. Males have a purple body covered in yellow dots on the head and along its back. They also have elongated flowing fins. Female Longfin Anthias are similar, but with a solid yellow back and yellow dorsal, anal and pelvic fins. The Sunburst Anthias is unique among anthias and the only species in its genus of Serranocirrhitus. This anthias has a rounded, sloping body in contrast to the more streamlined torpedo shapes of other anthias. In fact the Sunburst looks similar to hawkfish, possibly to confuse predators. Unlike most other anthias, male and female Sunbursts are the same colour, though males are slightly larger. This fish has a pinkish orange body with yellow lines. The Silverstreak Anthias is also pretty common in aquariums, though is often overlooked. Male fish are bright red with blue markings on their tails, while females are pink or orange with red tips on their tails. Both genders have a silver stripe running down their back, giving them their name. 31. Now for something a bit different. For the Japanese map I had an idea for a Cave to spotlight some species of cardinalfish as well as an iconic animal from this location. I’ll list several species in bullet point form: -Polkadot Cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera). This famous species will probably be familiar to many people. This tan yellow fish has a playful polka dot pattern across its tail, graceful trailing fins and bright red eyes with white lines. -The Blackstripe Cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus nigrofasciatus) is a slightly obscure species. It is dark brown with brilliant gold stripes along its body. -The Threadfin Cardinalfish (Zoramia leptacantha) is more well know and while not as popular as the Polkadot or the later Banggai cardinals, it is still commonly kept in aquariums. This species has a pale yellow transparent body with iridescent blue markings around its -The Five-lined Cardinalfish (Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus) is another pretty cardinal which is slowly gaining popularity also. This silvery fish has five black lines across its body and a bright yellow eyespot on its tail. -The last, yet not least cardinalfish is the Banggai Cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni) and here I am taking some liberties. These cardinals are found only around the Banggai Islands in Indonesia. They are extremely popular aquarium fish, being very hardy and adaptable. Having seen a whole shoal in a tank in a French public aquarium, I can say I fell in love with them at first sight. These fish are silver with scattered pearly white spots accentuated by black stripes and long flowing fins. However fame has had a terrible price for this fish and it is now endangered in its native range. Thankfully breeding programmes now support most of the aquarium need and hopefully can lead to the recovery of wild populations. 32. An unusual shark makes it to our list now. The Japanese Saw Shark (Pristiophorus japonicus) and other sawshark species are similar to the sawfish, however they have a number of differences. Most obviously is the size and habitat they live in, with sawfish being significantly larger and preferring shallow waters. In contrast sawsharks live in much deeper waters. The gills of sawsharks are located on their sides and they possess barbles on their snout for locating food, while sawfish have their gills on their underside and lack barbles. The sawsharks also have varying sizes of saw teeth, in contrast to the evenly sized sawfish teeth. These sharks are ancient animals and have been around since the Jurassic period. They eat small benthic organisms. 33. We also have another morwong the Spottedtail Morwong (Goniistius zonatus). This fish is mainly silvery white with bronze stripes across its body and white spots on its tail. 35. A few more hogfish species can also make their home on this map. For a few options there are the Axilspot Hogfish (Bodianus axillaris) and the Lyretail Hogfish (Bodianus anthioides), one quite a calm fish the other more boisterous. The Axilspot is the more placid fish and is interestingly coloured both when young and when fully grown. As a juvenile it is black with nine white spots, giving it the look of a domino. The adult is has a fuchsia coloured head, white rear and black spots on its yellowish fins. The Lyretail Hogfish, while not downright aggressive, still makes its presence known in aquariums. This lovely fish has a brilliant reddish orange front, a white rear with black speckles and a long tail, giving its name. 36. A larger wrasse and the only one in its genus, the Dragon Wrasse (Novaculichthys taeniourus) can feature as both juvenile and adult. The young dragon wrasse are greenish brown with white markings and characteristic antler like fins sticking up above its head. The adults lack these fins and becomes a stately grey with white spots, a pale blue face, a white band on its tail and red fins. 37. I was wrong about the dottybacks, I've recently discovered a hidden gem. The Lubbockichthys genus is a regretably overlooked and underrated genus of dottybacks. These fish are really gentle compared to most of the common species seen in aquariums, though they are harder to take care of being extremely shy. For my pick here I'm going with Tanaka's Dottyback (Lubbockichthys tanakai), a tiny yet vibrant fish, it is mostly a tan colour but has a bright red head and a dark brown and yellow stripe down its sides. 38. Lastly we come to one of the star attractions. The Giant Pacific Octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini). This magnificent cephalopod is the largest octopus species so far discovered and has even been seen eating small sharks. Its usually prey though are crustaceans, molluscs, cockles, snails, scallops and abalones. Yet despite its size and power, it lives only around three to five years and often dies after defending its own eggs until they hatch, all the while they will never eat. This would make a spectacular free swimming creature in the caves. The Japanese map offers a lot, but I worry I may have overstuffed it. I’ve stayed mostly to smaller creatures here. I admit I think most of the larger marine animals have been covered for now. Cortica River updates Cortica River as it stands is a fascinating and unique map, if a bit disappointing in retrospective. Its sad that the freshwater entry in the animal guide is quite small and there’s only a single freshwater map in the entire game. I’ll probably add more later on in future blogs, after researching more after a rest. For now I’ll just add a few new animals to Cortica River. The Amazon is a rich place for animals, both above and below the waters. 1. First off is another cichlid. The Keyhole Cichlid (Cleithracara maronii) is a relatively large cichlid but, unlike the devilish Green Terror, is an angel. They have a light green body, a black bar across its eye and a ‘keyhole’ marking in the centre of its body. 2. On a much smaller scale, the Ram Cichlid (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi) is a bright and beautiful fish. In the wild, they naturally have a soft gold body, covered in blue speckles, black markings and the males develop red ‘blush’ marks when courting females. Like the guppy and discus, it has been bred in captivity to develop brighter colours, including albino fish. However these pale in comparison to wild fish’s natural colours. 3. Another large cichlid. The Blue Acara (Andinoacara pulcher) is a vicious predator of smaller fish, especially guppies. Its also a brilliant blue fish and popular in large predator oriented aquariums. 4. For a shoaling fish to give some parts of the river a bit more activity, we have the Silver Dollar (Metynnis argenteus). This fish is similar to the Pacu to body shape and diet, but smaller and shinier. They are very popular for larger freshwater aquariums. 5. The Amazon is home to many species of tetras. These fish are relatives of piranhas and pacus, but are mostly tiny shoaling fish, with some exceptions and most are popular aquarium fish. A few of the smaller species that can appear, including the famous Neon Tetra (Paracheirodon innesi). You can’t talk about tetras without thinking of this species. An utterly gorgeous fish with a glittering blue line across its entire body and a red stripe underneath from halfway down its body to its tail. The reason for its bright colours is so that a shoal can identify and stay close to each other in murky blackwater rivers. There are plenty of others but I’ll keep it to Neon tetras for now. 6. A different tetra now, the Bucktooth Tetra (Exodon paradoxus) is a small predatory fish which feeds on large insects and smaller fish. Like the piranhas, this fish swims in massive shoals for protection against bigger predators but has been know to cannibalise on smaller individuals. These fish have a silvery body with two large black spots, one in the middle of its body and one at its tail base. 7. Moving back to more passive fish with the small, fast and bright Hatchetfish. There are two commonly found species in the Amazon, the Silver Hatchetfish (Gasteropelecus sternicla) and the Marbled Hatchetfish (Carnegiella strigata). These fish have deep bodies housing powerful muscles and large pectoral fins. These muscular bodies allow the fish to leap high out of the water and glide over the water’s surface, like the flying fish of the sea, to escape predators and catch insect prey. These fish make for charming upper level shoalers. 8. On land now for some new shore animals. I am surprised at how limited the birds are in Cortica river, with just one parrot. So time to spice things up with two wonderful macaws, the Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) and the Blue-and-Yellow Macaw (Ara ararauna). These large colourful and loud parrots are iconic and beautiful. The Scarlet Macaw is a brilliant red with yellow and blue markings on its wings. The Blue and yellow macaw is, well, blue and yellow. 9. A pair of magnificent birds now which can also appear are either the Guianan Cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola rupicola) and the Andean Cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola peruvianus). These birds are well known for their bright red plumage and crest of feathers on their heads. The male birds have brighter colours and larger crests and perform special dances to attract females. 10. The Green Iguana (Iguana iguana) can also be included on the shorelines, possibly lounging on a tree. This widespread lizard is found throughout Central and eastern South America and are a familiar species to many as pets. 11. Back into water again for a new catfish type. The Corydoras genus of catfish are little scavenging fish which live at the river bed, digging around for small invertebrates, waste matter and dead animals. With over 160 species, this is the largest genus of tropical freshwater fish. Many species are popular as aquarium fish due to their scavenging nature, shoaling and peaceful nature. A few species I’d recommend are the Panda Cory (Corydoras panda), the Pepper Cory (Corydoras paleatus), Sterba’s Cory (Corydoras sterbai) and the Green Gold Cory (Corydoras melanotaenia) 12. Another catfish similar to the Banjo Catfish is the Twig Catfish (Farlowella acus). Its long body and mottled brown and black colouration and slow swimming speed makes it look like dead twigs and branches. Like the pleco cats, it has a rasping sucker mouth to rasp away algae and other organic matter. They are also popular aquarium fish, being social and helpful cleaners for algae. 13. Now this is a real push. If you come ashore in the Crotic River Midstream, you will notice butterflies floating around when there is no rain and its daylight. These butterflies are Blue Morpho butterflies, though which specific species I do not know. Perhaps for a new feature, there could be a butterfly exhibit somewhere for other species, though this has nothing to do with aquatic life. Other butterflies or day flying moths to have around the Crotica river are the White Morpho (Morpho polyphemus), the Green-Banded Urania (Urania leilus), The Cypris Morpho (Morpho cypris), the Common Postman (Heliconius melpomene), the Small Postman (Heliconius erato), the Zebra Longwing (Heliconius charithonia), the Ruddy Daggerwing (Marpesia petreus), the King Swallowtail (Papilio thoas), The Pausanias Swallowtail (Mimoides pausanias) and the Cattleheart Swallowtail (Parides zacynthus). However this is just an aside and probably not for serious debate. That is it for this blog. And wow it was created quickly compared to the last one. I hope you're all not bored of this and enjoy my ramblings. Next up will be a pretty small post about species I accidentally missed out or was unsure of, as well as discussions about what else could show up. I hope you enjoyed reading this. Category:Blog posts